Working out isn’t easy.

I know!

Life is busy, and after all that running around it can be much more tempting to sink into the sofa with Netflix rather than grab your bag and head to the gym.

But, not wanting to go to the gym doesn’t mean you can’t get fit.

You don’t have to go to the gym to get and stay in shape. YAY! So go ahead, keep the TV on if you want.

In as little 10 minutes a day, you can burn fat, boost your energy, and develop a healthy lifestyle at home.

Don’t worry if you aren’t sure how to start or elevate your home workout.

I’ve been there.

Below I’ve listed 31 exercises that you can start doing at home right now. That means, today!

Why Exercise At Home?

Plenty of people exercise at home.

I certainly do!

I don’t always have time to head to the gym. Between family, work, and running around, it can be tough. And sometimes getting a full workout in means staying home.

Even if you do have time, you might not want to spend money on a gym membership (especially if you don’t know you’re going to stick with it).

Or, you might feel intimidated, uncomfortable, or awkward working out around other people.

It’s okay!

Go to the gym when you want to go to the gym. And when you can’t, find a home exercise routine you like (or a few) and stick to it. Heck, many times I take my home exercise routine TO the gym when I’m traveling.

Working toward physical fitness goals is one of the most personal things we can do for ourselves.

And when combined with a healthy diet, exercise can help us lose weight, increase muscle tone, gain flexibility, and reduce health risks for diabetes, heart disease, and many other serious conditions.

How To Find the Right Exercise Routine or Program

What are your exercise goals?

Maybe you simply want to lead a healthier lifestyle, and you know exercise is an important part of being healthy.

Or, maybe you have a more clearly defined goal, like building muscle, increasing flexibility, or fitting into your favorite pants again.

Choosing a goal is so important to maintaining an exercise routine (especially one you’re doing at home). When you have a realistic goal to strive for, everything else seems to fall in line.

Set big goals and chase big dreams.

But make sure you have a few checkpoints along the way.

Don’t forget to celebrate losing 10 pounds even if your ultimate goal may be to lose 50.

Don’t ignore your smaller stomach just because you want a smaller chin.

In the interest of discovering your workout goals, let’s look at a few different kinds of exercises and what they can do for you.

Calisthenics

“Calisthenics” comes from the Greek words kallos, meaning beauty, and sthenos, meaning strength. And that’s exactly what calisthenics do: train your body for strength, fitness, and flexibility.

These are the exercises that probably come to mind when you imagine a workout boot camp: push-ups, crunches, lunges, pull-ups, jumping jacks, etc.

But these are also all exercises you can easily do at home. Not only will they give you “beautiful strength,” but they also improve your coordination, balance, and agility.

Low-Impact

Sometimes it’s good to take a break and give your joints a much-needed rest. Other times, low-impact workouts may be the only way you can exercise without pain. Low-impact workouts are great for people who want to get their blood flowing without putting too much strain on their joints.

Low-impact exercises are often described as workouts where “one foot is always on the ground.” While that isn’t always technically true, it can be a helpful way to think about the types of exercises you’ll find in low-impact routines: things like hiking, walking, yoga, swimming, Tai Chi, and rock climbing.

High-Impact

High-impact refers to the amount of force these workouts exert on your body. You get tired faster, your joints feel more strain, and you’ll burn more calories faster.

And, as you may have gathered, both feet leave the ground in high-impact exercises: things like jumping rope, running, skipping, jumping jacks, etc.

If you’re already working out regularly and don’t have joint issues, high-impact routines are a great way to push your body for faster results.

Resistance Training

Few workouts will help you build muscle as quickly as resistance training exercises. Resistance training increases muscle strength by working against a weight or force.

When you see athletes running in a pool or while pulling a weight behind them, you’re seeing a form of resistance training.

The more resistance, the harder you have to work, and the stronger your muscles become.

Cardio

Any exercise that raises your heart rate is considered cardio. These exercises are famous for strengthening the heart, lungs, and blood vessels because they get oxygen pumping through your body.

Many people rely on cardio exercises like walking, running, cycling, swimming, and jumping rope to burn calories. They’re also great for melting fat.

In most cases, you’ll want to develop a routine that incorporates multiple different kinds of exercises. Though, depending on your goals, it may be beneficial to focus on just one type of workout.

Below, I’ve listed some of the best home workout routines I’ve found online for a variety of fitness goals.

31 Workouts Perfect for Your Exercise Goals

Half the battle of exercising at home is getting off the couch and getting those first beads of sweat.

Below are 31 hand-picked exercises you can use to get fit without ever going to the gym.

To help you find the workout you need, I’ve organized exercises and routines by type and what parts of the body are targeted.

• Cardiovascular
• Upper Body
• Abdominal
• Lower Body
• Free Weights

I include what equipment you need (not much!), what muscles are targeted, and a few tips for both beginners and workout veterans.

Choose one workout from each group for a fast 5-day, full body routine you can do at home. Alternate exercises from the same groups to keep your workouts fresh. And, increase the number of sets for each exercise when your ready.

Cardiovascular Exercises

1. Air Jack

Body Part: Quads, Hamstrings, Shoulders
Equipment: Exercise Mat (or any cushioned surface)
Time to Complete: 20 reps

How To:

1. Start as if you’re about to do jumping jacks.
2. Keep your hands at your sides and bend your knees slightly. Make sure your back is straight!
3. Now burst off the ground and raise your arms above your head while simultaneously kicking your legs out to your sides. You should make the shape of an “X” as you jump.
4. Repeat until you’ve finished your set.

Tips:

• If starting out the Air Jack is too tough or uncomfortable, do some normal jumping jacks before moving on to the Air Jack.
• Perform Air Jacks on a cushioned surface to soften the impact on your joints.
• Only take short pauses between each rep. You can take a longer break between sets.

2. Jump Rope

Body Part: Calves, Chest, Shoulders, Biceps, Forearms, Triceps
Equipment: Jump Rope
Time To Complete: 60 seconds

How To:

1. Grab your jump rope handles, one in each hand, and let the rope fall to the ground in front of you.
2. Step forward so that your feet are in front of the rope. It should be resting just behind your heels.
3. Drop your arms so that they’re at the side of your body, and press your elbows against the sides of your body.
4. Raise your arms (keeping your elbows tucked) until your forearms are parallel to the ground.
5. Jump for 60 seconds.

Tips:

• The most important part of jump roping is to use your wrists to fling the rope over your body. You don’t want to use your entire arms.
• Don’t worry if you catch the rope with your feet. It takes time to find the rhythm of jump roping. Start slow, and gradually increase your pace.

3. Burpee

Body Part: Quads, Chest, Lower Back, Calves, Forearm
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 12 reps

How To:

1. Stand straight with your arms at your sides.
2. Bend your knees and place the palms of your hands on the mat directly in front of you.
3. Lean your weight into your palms and simultaneously kick your legs back so that you’re in a push-up position.
4. Lower yourself to the ground as a push-up and raise back up. After raising, kick your feet forward so that they’re now underneath you again.
5. Rise directly up, jumping off the ground when your body is completely elongated.
6. That’s one. Now, keep going!

Tips:

Form is the most important part of the Burpee. Focus on your form first, and keep a steady rhythm as you move through the movements. As you become comfortable, you can pick up the pace.

Once you master the Burpee, try kicking out one leg at a time during the push-up part of each rep.

4. Seal Jack

Body Part: Quads, Groin, Glutes, Chest
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 50 reps

How To:

1. Stand straight on your exercise mat with arms straight out in front of you. Your arms should be parallel with the floor, and your palms should be touching as if you’ve just clapped.
2. Now jump and spread your legs and your arms wide. You want to spread them both at the same time.
3. As you come back down, bring your palms back together in front of you.
4. That’s one, keep it up!

Tips:

• Make sure you’re jumping on a soft service to reduce the impact on your legs and knees.
• Seal Jacks are a good way to rotate out your Jumping Jacks or Air Jacks to spice up your exercise routine.

5. Basketball Jump

Body Part: Quads
Equipment: Exercise Mat (or any cushioned surface)
Time To Complete: 10 reps

How To:

1. Stand straight with your legs about shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
2. Bring your hands to your chest and position them as if you’re holding a basketball in your hands. Yes, we’re using our imagination!
3. Jump off the ground and raise your hands into the air as if you’re shooting a basketball toward the hoop.
4. That’s it! Keep going until you’ve finished you’re set.

Tips:

• Make sure you raise your hands above your head each time you jump.
• Find a rhythm. That means minimal downtime between jumps. Each time you bend your knees to land, use that motion to keep your momentum and spring back up.
• If you find the Basketball Jump too easy, try wearing a weighted vest or ankle weights. But stop using the added weight if you feel extra pressure on your joints.

Upper Body

6. Push-Up

Body Part: Chest, Shoulder, Triceps
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 10 reps

How To:

1. Start with palms flat against the ground, hands about shoulder-width apart, and your back straight so you’re parallel with the ground. Make sure you’re not arching your back!
2. Keep your head centered–you should be able to draw a line from your forehead to the space between your heels.
3. Keeping this posture, lower your body until your chest is just about one inch off the floor.
4. Now push up until you’re back to the starting position.
5. One down and up cycle is one rep.

Tips:

• As you build up strength, you should increase your reps until you find a comfortable number for your workout.
• Beginners can place their knees on the ground if you’re struggling to complete a full set. As you build up more strength, you’ll be able to perform regular push-ups as well.

7. Floor Shoulder Press

Body Part: Shoulders, Triceps
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 10 reps

How To:

1. Like the push-up, place your hands on the floor apart from each other about the width of your shoulders. Keep the balls of your feet flat on the floor.
2. Unlike a push-up, raise your hips towards the sky so that you look like a triangle and your head is facing the ground. Your arms should still be straight.
3. Lower yourself to the ground, but don’t smack your head into the mat.
4. Now push back to the starting position. That’s one rep!

Tips:

• Remember to keep your posture as you bend down and push back up. Only your arms should be changing position.
• If you want to switch up your floor shoulder press, try lifting your right leg when you bend down and hold the position. On the next rep, lift the other leg.

8. Chest Press Pulse

Body Part: Chest, Shoulders, Biceps
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 50 reps

How To:

1. Stand (or sit on your knees) on your mat.
2. Bring your arms together so that your forearms touch completely. There should be almost no space between your arms.
3. Clasp your fingers together, and lift your arms so that your elbows are at about the same height as your shoulders.
4. Now, keeping your forearms pressed together, raise your arms 3 to 4 inches above your head and back down.
5. Finish the set!

Tips:

• The Chest Press Pulse is a simple exercise. Even though it seems like you’re barely moving you’ll feel the burn in your muscles once you’re done!

Abdominal Exercises

9. Plank

Body Part: Abs
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 2 minutes

How To:

1. Assume the same position as a push-up, with your back parallel to the floor, and resting on the balls of your feet.
2. Instead of resting on your hands, rest on your forearms.
3. Make sure you’re hips don’t begin to sag towards the floor. Resist! You’ll feel your core grow tense; that means you’re doing it right.

Tips:

• Holding the plank for 2 minutes means you have a reasonably strong core.
• Don’t worry if you can’t hold the plank for very long! If you can’t hold the plank for 2 minutes, just hold it a long as you can. Next time, try to hold the plank for longer.

10. Side Plank

Body Part: Obliques, Abdominals
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 1:30 minutes

How To:

1. Lay on the right side of your body on top of an exercise mat.
2. Place one foot on top of the other so they’re in line.
3. With your right forearm, raise yourself off the ground. Raise your body so that you form a straight line. If somebody wanted to, they should be able to draw a line from your shoulders to your ankles.
4. Hold the side plank for 90 seconds.

Tips:

• Remember to breathe!
• If you want to mix up your side plank, raise your top leg and swing it back and forth. This is called a plyometric side plank.
• If you’re having trouble with the side plank, bend your knees so they’re pressed against the ground instead of your feet.

 

11. Leg Drop

Body Part: Abdominals and Quads
Equipment: Exercise Mat.
Time To Complete: 15 reps

How To:

1. Lie face up on the floor or mat with your back flat against the ground and arms at your sides.
2. Lift your legs to the sky, so that they’re perpendicular to the ground. Keep your back flat against the ground.
3. Now, slowly lower your legs to the floor; it should take about 3 – 5 seconds to lower your legs. You’ll feel a tight squeeze in your abs. That’s good!
4. Keep lowering your legs to the floor, but don’t touch the floor.
5. Before hitting the floor, lift your legs and repeat.

Tips:

• If lowering both legs is too strenuous try raising and lowering one leg at a time—make sure you do an equal number of reps for both sides.

12. Crunch

Body Part: Abdominals
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 24 reps

How To:

1. Lie on the floor on your back and bend your knees so that they’re at about a 60-degree angle and your heels and toes are flat on the floor.
2. Now, cross your arms across your chest so that one wrist is on top of the other. Alternatively, you can place your hands behind your head or by your ears.
3. Raise your upper body so that your shoulder blades leave the floor. Imagine trying to touch your chin to the ceiling.
4. As you lift, make sure you exhale and hold the pose for just a moment. You want to feel tension in your abdominals so you know they’re getting the workout they deserve.
5. Lower yourself back towards the floor to complete one rep.

Tips:

• If you find yourself lifting your feet off the floor each time you go to perform the crunch, it might be helpful to have a partner hold your toes. Or, stick your feet under a heavy item, like a couch, to prevent your feet from lifting off the ground.
• It’s okay if your feet slide around a bit.

13. Hover Jack

Body Part: Outer Thighs, Quads
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 20 reps

How To:

1. Start in push-up position.
2. Raise yourself up off the mat and keep your body straight so that it’s parallel to the ground.
3. Jump your legs apart.
4. Jump again to bring your legs back together to complete one rep.
5. Keep jumping back and forth until you’ve finished the set.

Tips:

• If you’re just starting out and don’t feel comfortable jumping, hold the push-up position and wiggle your legs to each side and then wiggle them back together.
• You can also start on your elbows to make the Hover Jack easier if you’re not comfortable or you’re having trouble supporting yourself on your hands.

14. Bicycle Kicks

Body Part: Primary: Abdominals, Obliques
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 26 Reps

How To:

1. Lie on your back, completely flat.
2. Now, place your hands behind your head, locking your fingers as you do so.
3. Here’s the fun part. Lift your head along with your upper body. As you do so bring your right knee forward and your left elbow to your knee. They don’t have to touch.
4. Next, stretch your right leg out, and as you do so bring your left knee towards your chin, and right elbow to your left knee.
5. You’ve just done your first bicycle kick! Keep going to finish the set!

Tips:

• Starting with your left knee and right elbow is fine!
• The goal is to alternate knees and elbows, as you kick back and forth. You’ll feel the crunch in your abdominals almost right away.
• If 26 reps feels too easy, add more sets or keep alternating legs and see how many reps you can do!
• Don’t worry if you feel like your form is clunky when you’re first getting started.

15. In-N-Out

Body Part: Quads, Outer Thighs, Glutes, Calves, Hamstrings
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 25 reps

How To:

1. Stand straight with your feet about shoulder width apart.
2. Lean forward and place both hands on the mat in front of you.
3. Kick your feet out behind you as if you were getting into a push-up position. But as you do so keep your butt arched in the air.
4. Now, kick your feet forward and rest them on the balls of your toes, while supporting yourself with your hands in front of you.
5. That’s one! Keep kicking them back and forward like a jumping jack on your exercise mat.

Tips:

• Try to find your balance and rhythm before pushing yourself too hard. As always, focus on your form first and gradually increase the number of reps and sets as you become comfortable.

16. Mountain Climber

Body Part: Abdominals
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 30 reps

How To:

1. Start by getting into a push-up position. Your hands should be slightly wider than shoulder-width. Make sure your body is straight.
2. Now, lift one foot off the ground and bring your knee towards your chest. You want to bring it as far as possible.
3. Hold this motion for just a moment then return your foot to the starting position.
4. Repeat the same movement with your other foot to complete one rep.

Tips:

• Remember to keep your body straight! Don’t let your groin sag towards the floor!
• If you already find the standard Mountain Climber easy, try supporting your hands on a bench or other raised surface when performing the exercise.

Lower Body

17. Bodyweight Lunge Pulse

Body Part: Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves, Groin.
Equipment: Exercise Mat, Rope (Optional)
Time To Complete: 8-12 reps per leg

How To:

1. Stand straight on your mat with your feet about hip-width apart.
2. From here, step forward with your right foot and lower into a lunge position. That means your right foot and knee are forming a 90-degree angle with the ground. Your left leg and knee also form a 90-degree angle.
3. Now, raise up and down slightly—your knee should not touch the ground.
4. After you’ve finished 8-12 reps, switch legs and start on the other side.

Tips:

• If you have a rope (don’t worry if you don’t), raise your arms over your head while pulling the rope taut with both hands. This will help engage your lat muscles as you complete each rep.
• Bodyweight lunge pulses are variations of lunges, and they’re perfect for beginners. If you’re already performing normal lunges, the bodyweight lunge pulse can be rotated into your routine for some added variety.

18. Superman

Body Part: Lower back, Glutes, Hamstring.
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 1 minute

How To:

1. Lay down on your exercise mat completely flat with arms and legs fully extended.
2. Take a deep breath, and as you exhale raise your legs, arms, and chest off the floor.
3. Hold the pose—like you’re Superman flying through the clouds.

Tips:

• If you’re having trouble holding the pose for a full minute, turn it into a set: with each exhale raise your body, and when you inhale lower yourself to the mat.
• If you want to add a little extra burn to the exercise, try lifting only the arm and leg on one side of your body at a time. This places extra focus on those muscle groups.

19. Freehand Jump Squat

Body Part: Quadriceps,
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 10 reps

How To:

1. Stand with your back straight and your hands crossed over your chest. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart. Make sure your head is straight!
2. While keeping your back and head straight, squat down and stick your butt out until your thighs are parallel with the floor.
3. Feel the balls of your feet pressed against the floor and spring upwards into the air, jumping as high as you can. Remember to exhale as you jump.
4. Repeat until you’ve finished the set.

Tips:

• It’s important to land on your toes and bend your knees as you land. It should happen naturally, allowing you to maintain momentum between reps.
• Don’t perform Freehand Jump Squats if you’ve injured your knees or back.
• For more advanced Freehand Jump Squats, add dumbbells to your routine. Hold one light dumbbell in each hand, and gradually increase the weight until you find what’s comfortable for you.

20. Double Side Leg Lift

Body Part: Outer thighs, Glutes, Hip Flexors
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 10 reps

How To:

1. Lay on your side on your exercise mat with one heel on top of the other.
2. Rest your elbow on the mat and support your head with your hand. Give yourself additional support by placing your other hand on your hip or on the mat in front of you.
3. Now, keeping your heels pressed together, lift both legs toward the ceiling, while keeping the rest of your body’s pose. Bring your legs back to the ground and repeat.
4. Make sure you do both sides!

Tips:

• There are a number of variations for the Double Side Leg Lift. You can lift one leg to the sky and bring it back down, or lift both legs and only bring the bottom leg down. Or, lift both legs, and then keep lifting that top leg as high as it will go before bringing it back down.

21. Bird Dog

Body Part: Lower back, Traps, Shoulders, Abs, Glutes, Hamstrings
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 10 reps

How To:

1. Start off by resting on your mat on your hands and knees. Your hands should be underneath your shoulders and about shoulder length apart.
2. Now, you want to tighten your core. As you feel tension in your muscles, reach your right arm out in front of you and simultaneously lift and stretch your left leg behind you. Both your arm and leg should be in line with your body and parallel to the ground.
3. Hold the position for a moment, then repeat with the opposite leg and arm.
4. Keep going until you’ve finished your set!

Tips:

• Don’t worry if you’re having trouble maintaining your balance–it takes some time to get used to the Bird Dog. You’ll quickly gain your balance with practice.
• The most important thing to remember is keeping your arms and legs straight as you raise them. Focus on form before you worry about how many reps or sets you can do.

22. Hip Raise

Body Part: Glutes, Hamstrings, Abdominals
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 20 reps

How To:

1. Lie flat on your back with your palms resting face down. The balls of your feet should rest flat on the ground. Bend your knees so your feet are about one foot away from your butt.
2. Now, tighten your glute muscles and lift your hips in the air. Keep lifting until you make a straight line from your knees to your chest.
3. Hold for at least 5 seconds (or as long as you can) and then lower back down to the mat.
4. Keep going until you’ve finished your set.

Tips:

• If you find the hip raise too difficult, try repeating the exercise with your lower legs on an exercise ball.
• To add a little extra effort to each hip raise, place an elastic mini band over your knees and repeat the exercise without letting your knees touch.

23. Rear Leg Lift

Body Part: Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 10 reps per leg

How To:

1. Kneel down on your exercise mat.
2. Now lean forward and rest on your forearms, so that your weight is divided between your forearms and your knees. Make sure you keep your back straight!
3. While looking forward, extend your left leg behind you. Lift your leg as high as it will go while keeping your leg straight.
4. Return your leg to the kneeling position and repeat the motion with the right leg.
5. Alternate legs until you finish the set.

Tips:

• You might feel more comfortable raising the same leg 10 times before switching sides. That’s fine! And, it can help you develop balance and a good rhythm before rotating!

24. Glute Bridge March

Body Part: Hip Flexors, Hamstrings, Quads
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 12 reps per leg

How To:

1. Lay down on your mat facing up, with your hands resting at your sides.
2. Draw your knees towards your stomach until your feet are flat on the ground.
3. Raise your hips towards the ceiling until you form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
4. Now, raise one knee up to your chest with your hips still raised and hold it.
5. Then relax and repeat with the other knee.

Tips:

• Make sure you keep your body parallel to the ground. No sagging!
• You can hold your hands at your side or hold them straight out (in line with your shoulders). Whichever way is more comfortable for you.

25. Split Lunge Jump

Body Part: Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves
Equipment: Exercise Mat
Time To Complete: 30 reps

How To:

1. Stand straight up with your back straight and arms at your side.
2. Now jump into the air and land in a split squat/lunge position. One leg ought to be forward while your other leg is behind you on your toes.
3. Now jump from the split squat/lunge position and switch legs to the one that was forward is now behind you.
4. Repeat alternating legs until you finish the set.

Tips:

• Make sure the foot on your forward leg doesn’t extend beyond your knee. You should be able to draw a line straight to the ground from your knee to your big toe.
• If jumping is too strenuous or high-impact, return to a standing position from each squat before switching sides. Boom–now you’re doing split squats.

Free Weights

If you don’t have dumbbells, fill one or more gallon jugs with water for a fast, low-cost replacement.

26. Lateral Rise

Body Part: Shoulders
Equipment: Dumbbells
Time To Complete: 10 reps

How To:

1. Hold a dumbbell firmly in each hand, and hang your arms at your sides. Your feet should be shoulder width apart.
   Keeping your arms straight, exhale and raise the dumbbells out from your sides until they form a parallel line with the floor.
2. Hold your arms parallel for just a moment. Great!
3. Now inhale as you lower the dumbbells back to your sides. That’s one!

Tips:

• It’s perfectly fine to use a lower weight until you become comfortable with the exercise. Start low and gradually increase the weight of the dumbbells.
• You don’t have to be standing to perform a lateral rise. You can sit on a bench.
• You might prefer raising one arm at a time, alternating arms with each rep.

27. Dumbbell Curl

Body Part: Biceps
Equipment: Dumbbells
Time To Complete: 10 reps

How To:

1. Stand straight, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Keeping those elbows at your sides, lift the dumbbells towards your shoulders and squeeze your biceps.
3. Hold the squeeze for a moment at the top of the curl, and then release, lowering your arms slowly.

Tips:

• If you find yourself moving your body while performing the dumbbell curl, you may need to lower the weight. Good form will help you get the most out of each rep while keeping your joints and muscles healthy.
• If you find the curling motion uncomfortable, try alternating biceps instead of curling both arms at the same time.
• Like the Lateral Rise, you can also perform dumbbell curls while sitting on a bench.

28. Dumbbell Front Raise

Body Part: Shoulders
Equipment: Dumbbells
Time To Complete: 10 reps

How To:

1. Stand straight with one dumbbell in each hand.
2. Hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing your body.
3. Now, keeping a slight bend in your elbows, lift your arms up in front of you.
4. Keep lifting until your arms are parallel to the ground.
5. Hold your arms parallel for a moment before lowering them back to the starting position.

Tips:

• Start light! Lifting dumbbells is not a competition, and form is more important than weight. See how you feel using light weights and then gradually build up.
• Make sure you’re not jerking your arms up as you raise them. Each front raise should be a smooth, almost rhythmic motion.

29. Dumbbell Shrug

Body Part: Traps
Equipment: Dumbbells
Time To Complete: 10 reps

How To:

1. Strand straight, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Your palms should be facing in towards your body.
2. Keeping the rest of your body still, raise your shoulders as high as they’ll go. Remember to exhale as you lift!
3. Hold the shrug for a second.
4. Now relax and inhale as you gently lower your arms back to the starting position.

Tips:

• Pay attention to your body and make sure you’re not using any other muscles to lift the weights. Only your shoulders should be moving.
• If your body is swaying as you perform dumbbell shrugs, try switching to a lower weight for the next set.
• As you lift, keep your head forward and resist the urge to completely drop your arms after each shoulder shrug.

30. Standing Overhead Dumbbell Tricep Extension

Body Part: Triceps
Equipment: Dumbbell
Time To Complete: 10 reps

How To:

1. Stand straight with your feet about shoulder width apart.
2. Take a single a dumbbell and place both hands under the plate on one side of the dumbbell.
3. Exhale and raise the dumbbell straight up over your head.
4. Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head. Your elbows shouldn’t move.

Tips:

• Focus on keeping your movements slow and smooth. Pay attention to your form.
• If you keep bumping your neck with the dumbbell, try using a gallon jug full of water so you can work on your form without scraping the back of your neck. Or, you might prefer tricep exercises that use resistance bands.

31. Concentration Curl

Body Part: Biceps
Equipment: Dumbbell
Time To Complete: 10 reps per arm

How To:

1. Sit on a bench or other raised, flat surface.
2. Spread your legs a little more than shoulder width apart, keeping your feet flat on the floor. The dumbbell should be on the floor between your feet.
3. With one hand, pick up the dumbbell.
4. Keeping your elbow locked against your thigh, raise your arm and squeeze your bicep, exhaling as you do.
5. Hold the curl for a moment, then inhale and slowly lower your arm back to the resting position.
6. Complete one set then switch to the other arm.

Tips:

• To check that you have the right form your pointer finger should be closer to your face than your thumb at the top of the curl.
• Weight isn’t as important for the Concentration Curl as good form and a smooth motion.

Getting the Most Out of Your Exercise

Finding the right exercise routine is the first step to living a healthier life.

But, doing these exercises intermittently or in isolation will severely limit how much you get out of the work you put in.

That’s why it’s important to expand your routine into a lifestyle you can maintain.

One way to stick to a routine is to create a workout calendar. Not only will you be able to easily track workouts, but you can improve your sleep schedule and even add notes about your diet, both of which improve brain functioning and help with muscle recovery.

If you’re struggling to stay motivated, there are fitness coaches and programs to help you find and stick to the right workout routine.

And if you’re totally new to home fitness, check out my Beginners Guide to Working Out at Home for extra tips, tricks, resources, and routines.

Finding the time and energy to exercise at home is tough. I get it. I’ve been there, and I still have plenty of days where I’d rather hop on the couch than an exercise mat.

What matters is that you made it this far. You have the determination to build the workout routine and lifestyle you want.

And now you have a list of exercises you can pull from to get and stay fit in as little as 10 minutes a day.